Earlier introduction of the de Havilland Mosquito

[Admiral Beez]

According to Wikipedia, in Oct 1938 Geoffrey de Havilland and Charles Walker (de Havilland's chief engineer) met with the Air Ministry to propose the Mosquito design, but the Ministry showed little interest, and instead asked de Havilland to build wings for other bombers as a subcontractor. Undeterred, de Havilland continued to develop the aircraft as an independent venture. It was only after a full-scale mock-up was shown to the Air Ministry in late Dec 1939 that the aircraft was given government backing, with the Air Ministry placing its first order for a prototype and 50 aircraft in March 1940. This order was then canceled in May 1940 after Dunkirk by Lord Beaverbook who demanded that resources go to other aircraft. In July 1940 the Mosquito project and the order for fifty aircraft was restarted, with the first twenty production aircraft and one prototype being delivered more than a year later by end of December 1941, followed by the remaining thirty by mid-March 1942. After which production scaled up.

Let's change this up a bit. October 1938, the Air Ministry is intrigued and orders and in-depth proposal from de Havilland. February 1939, full scale mock-up is shown to the Air Ministry, who orders two prototypes. November 1939 first prototypes fly, flying faster than a Spitfire and impressing the Air Ministry (this happened, just in 1941) and convincing those who said an unarmed bomber wouldn't work.

Take it from here....

 

[tomo pauk]

Certainly looks better than sending the Blenheims against the Axis in 1941...

 

[Admiral Beez]

Certainly looks better than sending the Blenheims against the Axis in 1941...

I agree. Let's get some to Malaya, though can Mosquitos be crated? My guess is that the USSR gets a few.

 

[gumbyk]

I agree. Let's get some to Malaya, though can Mosquitos be crated? My guess is that the USSR gets a few.

They can, but its far easier to ferry. One piece wing, and the spar carry-through is structural to the fuselage.

 

[Admiral Beez]

They can, but its far easier to ferry. One piece wing, and the spar carry-through is structural to the fuselage.

I do like the idea of using the Empire's vast network of airfields to ferry twin engined bombers over vast distances. Here's the route, just ignore the stop in Lisbon needed to force the route to avoid Spain. Total 10,000 miles, at 275 mph cruise speed will require about forty hours of flight time.

My earlier ferry post gives the route details for each stop... Set a Ceylon trap for Nagumo, March 1942 Obviously a lot of preparation, fuel depots and maintenance spares will be needed at each stop.

The challenge is engine life, but not insurmountable. Then there's the issue of wood rot in the Malayan climate.

 

[gumbyk]

I do like the idea of using the Empire's vast network of airfields to ferry twin engined bombers over vast distances. Here's the route, just ignore the stop in Lisbon needed to force the route to avoid Spain. Total 10,000 miles, at 275 mph cruise speed will require about forty hours of flight time.

My earlier ferry post gives the route details for each stop... Set a Ceylon trap for Nagumo, March 1942 Obviously a lot of preparation, fuel depots and maintenance spares will be needed at each stop.

The challenge is engine life, but not insurmountable. Then there's the issue of wood rot in the Malayan climate.

All of the New Zealand mossies were ferried down here. 60 hours flight time. The one we are restoring has 80 hours on it - 60 of that being ferry time

 

[Admiral Beez]

All of the New Zealand mossies were ferried down here. 60 hours flight time.

Nice. If we're flying Mosquitos to Singapore I'd want the armed variety. Can you imagine the terror flying your matchstick Betty when a 330 mph cannon armed Mosquito engages from behind?

Here is RAF Seletar (Singapore) in 1945 with I believe two squadrons of Mosquitos. Imagine this is the scene in spring 1941 when the first aircraft arrive to reinforce the Buffaloes, Blenheims and Hudsons. Hopefully the Viderbeest torpedo squadron is re-equipped with Mossies.

 

[gumbyk]

Just to give some idea of how much structure is missing with the wing removed. Hoisting it in this state, without the supporting frame is an extremely delicate process, and the strops have to be placed so there isn't any load above the wing area.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Certainly looks better than sending the Blenheims against the Axis in 1941...

The only benefit of the Blenheim is that it can be crated, as seen below arriving at Singapore in early 1941.

But really, the Blenheims should have been flown out as well. What's the point in Britain having airbases across central Africa, the Middle East and Indian Ocean if you're going to send out your aircraft by tramp steamer? So, definitely fly the Mosquitos to Singapore.

 

[pbehn]

Much as it would have been great to move the whole thing forward by a year or two, I don't think even the declaration of war itself was as significant as the fall of France which changed everything.

 

[Shortround6]

The availability of engines changed rather dramatically in two years.
The Prototype Mosquito was able to fly with Merlin 21 engines, The Merlin XX series with the Hooker modified supercharger just went into production (slowly) in the summer/fall of 1940.
These engines were in high demand for Hurricane IIs, Bristol Beaufighter IIS, Wellington IIs.
Trying to actually manufacture Mosquitos in 1940 may have called for the use of Merlin X engines and possibly the same crappy two pitch propellers the Blenheims got (different blades?)

The first 10 Mosquito bombers built carried four 250lb bombs, Not sure if they would have gone to the trouble of trying to make telescoping fins or short fins for the 500lb bombs if the "early" Mosquito had engines with approximately 200hp less per engine. (how much can be made up with 100 octane?) Granted the plane still would have been much faster than a Blenheim.
However even with a few dozen or even a few hundred Mosquitos available in the summer/fall of 1941 the likelihood of the far East being high on the priority list for deliveries is pretty slim. The RAF is flying Spitfire MK VC's, Singapore got Buffaloes. The RAF had Beauforts, Singapore kept there Wildebeests, and so on.